1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a seed handling system and more specifically it relates to a seed container rack system for dispensing a selected variety of seeds from a plurality of seed containers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Seed containers (a.k.a. bulk seed containers, seed boxes) have been in use for years for storing, transporting and dispensing agricultural seeds for treatment and planting. The seed containers are typically constructed of a box type of structure having an upper opening, four sidewalls, a floor, a discharge opening within the floor to selectively release the seed within the seed container and a slide discharge door accessible from the side to allow for control of the flow of seed through the discharge opening. A lid or cover may be positioned over the upper opening to protect to the seed within the seed container. The slide discharge door is allowed to be opened by releasing a slide discharge door latch whereby the user is able to pull out the slide discharge door into an open position which allows the seed to flow through the discharge opening. When the user desires to stop the flow of seed through the discharge opening, the user pushes the slide discharge door inwardly into a closed position thereby completely blocking the discharge opening. The floor is typically tapered inwardly toward the discharge opening to allow for complete removal of the seed from the seed container. Most seed containers are constructed of plastic materials but may be constructed of metal. The seed containers are lifted and moved utilizing a forklift, pallet jacks or other motorized lifting system.
Examples of exemplary seed containers include the following seed containers: SEED MOBILE SM80 seed containers by Willmar Fabrication, LLC, PROBOX seed containers manufactured by Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., and CENTERFLOW seed containers by Buckhorn, Inc.
To release the seed from a seed container, the seed container is typically elevated with a forklift and the user discharges the seed from the bottom of the seed container through a lower opening into other agricultural equipment. The user selects the seed container with the desired seed to be dispensed, lifts the seed container and then dispenses the seed from the container to the agricultural equipment (e.g. a planter, grain truck). One type of product created to assist in guiding the discharged seed is a chute that attached to the bottom of the seed container which directs seed to the planter or other agricultural equipment such as PRO I and PRO II chutes manufactured by Bulk Seed Systems, Inc. However, chutes can only be attached to a single seed container and still require the user to lift a selected seed container.
Seed tenders have been developed recently wherein a plurality of seed containers are supported upon a frame in a single row with a conveyor positioned below the frame to transport seed released from one or more seed containers. U.S. Pat. No. 8,696,296 to Claussen titled “Seed Tender” provides an exemplary illustration of a conventional seed tender. The main problem with conventional seed tenders is that they are limited to a single row of seed containers and therefore are further limited in the number of seed containers capable of being stored and used by the width of the frame and available space. Hence, conventional seed tenders are limited in the volume of seed and the number of varieties of seed they are capable of storing.
Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved seed container rack system for dispensing a selected variety of seeds from a plurality of seed containers.